Automatic fence-machine.



No. 672,764. Patented Apn. 23, l90l.

J. HARRIS.

AUTOMATIC FENCE momma. (Application filed Mar. Q7, 1896. Renewed Mar. 20, 1901.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets$heat l.

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No. 672,764. Patented Apr. 23, IQOL J. HARRIS. Aurommc rznca'm cnmz. (Application filed-Mar. 27,. 1896. Renewed Mar. 20, 1901.)

5 Sheets-8haet 2.

(No Ilodel.)

Patented Apr. 23, mm.

No. 672,764. J. HARRIS.

AUTOMATIC FENCE MACHINE. (Application film; Mar. 27, 1896. Renewed Mar. 20, 1901.)

5 Shaets$hset 3.

(No Modal.)

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No. 672,764. Patented Apr. 23, IBM. J. HARRIS.

AUTOMATIC FENCE MACHINE. (Application filed Mar. 27. 1896. Renewed Mar. 20. 1901.1

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 (No model.

THE NORRIS FEYERS cc. PHm'o-m-Hn. WASHINGTON, u c

Patented Apr. 23, I90I.

J. HARRIS. AUTOMATIC FENCE MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 27, 1896 Renewed Mar. 20. 1901.,

5 Sheets8heet 5.

{No Model.)

UNIT-ED STATES JONATHAN HARRIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HARRIS WIRE FENCE OOMPANY, OF OXFORD, MICHIGAN.

VAUTOMATIC FENCE-MACHINE.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,764, dated April 23, 1901.

Application filed March 27, 1896. Renewed March 20, 1901. serial No. 52.081. (No model.)

To ztZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JONATHAN HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Oleveland,county of Ouyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvemcnts in Automatic Fence-Machines,of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic fence-machines; and the objects of the invention are to provide automatic mechanism for accomplishing the results specified in apatent to me for'a method of moldingjoints upon wire fences, No. 526,311, granted September 18, 1894. In that patentis claimed the inethodof constructing a fence by adjusting molds in half-sections over the wire-crossings and then filling the molds with liquid metal, whereby rigid joints are produced. To accomplish these results automatically, I employ the fixed standard, stationary and movable molds, and melting-pot, with the wire-reels and automatically-operating valves, the wire-feeding devices, and the arrangement of parts and construction of details as hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and more specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my device. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through main shaft,showing relative movements of operating-cams. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar sections showing the same cams in other positions.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section through melting-pot and molds on center line of valve. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views in perspective of the molds. Figs. 10 and 11 are detail sectional views of valve. Figs. 12 and 18 are detail views of the adjustable cam which operates Wire-feed. Fig. 14 is a plan view of reel-separator. Fig. 15 is a sectional view of lower mold and bar. Fig. 16 is a plan view of the mechanism for feeding the picketwires.

In thefigures, l is the bed-plate, supporting in the rear the supply-reels 2 for wire 2, mounted upon bearings 3 at predetermined intervals accommodated to the spacing of the horizontal or line wires of the fence. On the front of the bed-plate is placed the detachable fence-reel 4, on which the finished fence 5 is wound. Intermediate between these reels are placed the molds 6 and 7, separated into halves, the upper halves of which, 6, are stationary and secured to the melting-trough 8,

which is supported at its ends 9 upon the vertical columns 10 at the sides of the bed-plate. The lower halves of the molds, 7, are secured to the bar 11 in a line parallel with the upper molds, and the extremities 12 of the bar 11 move in guides 13 in the vertical columns 10 to insure perfect alinement.

In order to enable the wires to cross one another without bending in the molds, it is necessary that one mold should project into the other to the thickness of one wire,as shown in the drawings, one being male and the other female, the grooves in each half being at an angle to each other and at different heights, so that the division-lines 0f the molds will be on the planes of the wire centers.

V-shaped guides 14 receive the picketwires to of the fence in alinement with the lower molds, and the line-wires 2 pass through hanging guides 15, secured. to the upper molds.

The lower halves of the molds are moved up and down to first close the molds and afterward release the fence when the fastening-balls have beencast upon the Wire-crosslugs.

16 represents feed-valves, placed between the upper molds and the bottom of the melt ing-pot, which supply metal to the molds.

The various movements of feeding the Wire to the molds, operating the valves in the upper molds simultaneously with the rising of the lower molds, and stopping the movements of the reels until the molds are filled are antomatically accomplished by means of cams upon the main shaft 17 and intermediate mechanism engaging therewith.

17 is the main shaft, supported centrally underneath the molds upon the bed-plate at either side of the machine. Uponthis shaft are located operating-cams 18, 19, 20, and 21, adapted to operate lever devices in the following manner: The cams 18 are adapted to I -A I r I I raise and lower the bar 11, carrying the lower molds, and engage the arms 22, pivoted at one side of the shaft at 23, thus raising the links 24, which are pivoted at their upper ends to the cross-bar and at their lower ends have a loose ball-socket footing in the excolumns at 27 and'extends upward to the outer edge of the melting-pot. To this extremity is pivoted one end of the rod 28, which extends across the full length of the melting-pot and bears in the guide 29 on the opposite column. In this rod are inserted the pins 30, which engage slots 31 in arms 32, projecting from the valves 16, so that with eachreciprocation of. the lever 26 the valves are opened and closed once. The relative angles of the cams l8 and 19 upon the main shaft should be such that the valves should be quickly opened and closed during the time that the molds are closed, which should be no longer than would be required to make a perfect casting. The spring no returns the valves when the cam has passed.

The cam 20 is designed to operate the feeding-arms 33,which are provided with hooks 34, adapted to engage the picket-wires and draw forward the fence as fast as completed. The terminal hooks are mounted upon the" cross-bar 35, which connects the arms 33.

Since the picket-wires are spaced differently for farm and town fences, it is necessary that the feed-cam should be adjustable in length of throw, so as to move the feeding-hooks through distances varying from three inches to two feet. Forthisreason the cam is adjustable, as shown clearly in Figs. 12 and 13. Where 36 is a slotted plate placed over the shaft and provided with the terminal cam-tip 37, the clamps 38 and 39 slide in the groove and secure the plate in position by means of bolts or screws at 40. A number of interchangeable cams 20 of difierent lengths can be employed, removably attached to the hub 41, the point resting against the tip 37. The cam'is extended upon the hub, so as to hold back the hooks until the moldsare closed to permit the picket-wires to pass vertically. Then they move under the picketwire ready to receive it as the molds open. The" shoulder 42 will be seen to accomplish this result. A spring y returns the arm.

The cam 21 operates the brake 43, which bears upon the disk 44 on the reel-shaft 45 through the intermediate depending lever 46 and arm 47.

out to the predetermined space between pickets, as shown in Fig. 2, and should release the reel as soon as the mold has been formed, as shown in Fig. 5. In these figures the operation of these cams is shown clearly. In Fig.

' mains on till closed. closed and the hooks just ready to engagethe 'which center it upon the molds.

This card should apply the brake to the reel as soon as the fence has been drawn 4 the lower mold is down, the hooks are just on the point of rcleasingthe picket-wire, and the brake is just on. In Fig. 6 the mold is just commencing to close and the brake re- In Fig. 5 the molds are picket-wires and the brake is off. The action of the brake should stop the reel entirely when on.

To assist in driving the reel when the brake is off and maintain a tension upon the coiled fence, the band 50 is loosely passed over driving-pulleys 51 and 52 upon the main shaft and reel-shaft, respectively, and an idler 53 rests upon theloose belt. A weight 54 adjusts the tension of the idler, so that the belt will always slip when the brake is on, but will help'pull the wire when the hooks are feeding', and will always maintain sufficient tension upon the wire to make a tight roll upon the reel. The arm 55 supports the idler and the arm 56 the weight.

At 60 is seen a lever which is pivoted to the bed-plate at 61 and provided with a slotted extremity through which the end of the reelshaft passes. A nut 62 retainsthelever upon the shaft. When this lever is thrown out, carrying the shaft and the neighboring end disk 63 of the reel, the central part of the reel is detached, consisting in the bars 64, and as soon as the bars collapse the roll of fence be comes detached and can readily be removed.

In order to feed the pickets or vertical wires to the lower molds, inclined rods 7 O are pivoted to the V-sh'ap'e'd guides-at one of their extremities and pass through the rock-shaft 71 at their other extremities, which shaft is supported upon brackets on the side columns of the machine. Upon these rods are placed the picketwires, and overthem' is placed the confining-spring 72, which retains the outer wire, but permits the others to roll down freely. Wedges 73, stationary upon the bed of the machine, are inserted between the outer wire and the others as the mold descends and force the outer wire from beneath the spring, permitting it to roll into the guides, This action is repeated as often as the molds rise and fall, thus taking on a fresh wire every time the mold descends by the gravity of the wires.

In my former patent I claimed the method of casting balls upon wire crossings by means of adjustable molds and mold-frames. I furthermore believe myself to be the first to invent an automatic machine by means of which half-molds are placed over wire-crossings and metal cast therein and to employ molds in connection with a melting-pot and automatic feeding and spacing mechanism forthe wire as it is brought to the molds.

100 represents gas-pipe heaters lying in close proximity to the melting-pot.

The valves 16 are shown in longitudinal and transverse section in Figs. 7, 10, and 1.1. In these figures the valves are shown provided with cups or small receptacles 80, which contain no more liquid metal than is necessary to cast one joint, and as the valve rotates it cuts off the pressure from above, so as to prevent flooding the joints. The object of this receptacle formed in the valve is to slightly chill the metal when out off from the main body in the melting-pot and make it less fluid in consistency than the superheated metal in the pot. Since, however, when thus chilled by separation it will not flow readily into the molds when the valve is reversed, a .very small orifice 81 is provided through the edge of the valve, through which the body of metal above exerts a slight pressure and just enough to readily force the metal out of the receptacle into the mold. 82 and 83 are the passages into the receptacle and mold, respectively. These valves are supported solely in their ground taper seats 84 and are forced into the closest contact therewith by means of springs 85 upon the narrowed stems 86,

.which are placed between the shoulders 87 upon the stems and hangers 88 upon the crossbar 89. In Fig. 15 is seen the construction of the lower mold-bar and spring-supports for the lower molds, where 90 is a strip of metal resting upon spiral springs 91, placed in the groove 92. Lower extremities 93 of the molds lie in this groove and rest upon the metal strip 90. The springs 91 serve to retain the molds in close contact under varying degrees of pressure required to accommodate the lower molds to the construction and expansion of the upper molds and melting-pot from varying degrees of heat and cold. A clamp 94 serves to retain the molds upon the bar.

I do not claim such details as the construction of the tension device or reel, since any device for these purposes could be employed. I show a simple form for this portion of the device.

In the detail views of the molds, as shown in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, it will be seen that the wires pass one another upon different planes, wherefore the halves are formed male and female, the male being inserted the entire thickness of the wire into the female, thus obtaining mold-passages P for the wires upon the meeting faces of the molds and upon different planes and aperfectly tight joint,whicl1 could not be obtained without the male and female form of construction, this being an important featureof the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic machine for making wire fences, a melting-pot, in combination with horizontally-divided molds, comprising male and female halves, the male half entering the female half to the thickness of one wire, the said female halves being stationary and se cured to saidmelting-pot and the male halves being movable to and from the female halves,

both halves being provided on their meeting faces with registering grooves to receive the wire, the grooves in each half being arranged at an angle to each other and at different heights, and the stationary half being provided with a metal-inlet, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for the purpose described, a mold for casting balls upon Wire-crossings, in which the wires pass one another upon different planes, comprising respectively male and female halves, the male half entering the female half to the thickness of the wire employed, whereby the division of the molds will be made upon the respective wire centers, both halves being provided on their meeting faces with registering grooves to receive the Wire, the grooves in each half being arranged at an angle to each other and at different heights, and a metal-inlet in one of the halves, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for casting metal fasteners upon the wire-crossings of wire fences, in which the Wires cross in difierent planes, the combination with a melting-pot, and stationary female and movable male molds in corresponding halves, said molds being provided on their meeting faces with registering grooves to receive the wire, the grooves in each half being arranged at an angle to each other and at different heights, and a metalinlet in the female mold, of automatic mechanism for feeding and spacing the wires, and for filling the molds from the melting-pot, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic machine for making wire fences, the combination with a melting-pot provided with valves, of half-molds secured thereto, and provided with metal-inlet passages, movable half-molds adapted to register with the stationary molds at predetermined intervals, and enter the same to the thickness of one wire, the said molds being provided on their meeting faces with registering grooves to receive the wire, the grooves in each half being arranged at an angle to each other and at different heights, adjustable feeding mechanism for the line-wires whereby the distance between the pickets can be regulated, and means for closing the molds IIO and for operating the valves, substantially as set forth.

5. In an automatic fence machine, the combination with a stationary melting-pot provided with valves, and half-molds secured thereto provided with metal-inlet passages, of movable half-molds adapted to move upward and register therewith when closed,both upper and lower molds being provided on their meeting faces with registering grooves to receive the wire, the grooves in each half being arranged at an angle to each other, and at different heights, devices for feeding line and picket wires to said molds, for closing the molds, and for operating the valves, consisting of cams upon a main driving-shaft and intermediate lever mechanism, substantially as described.

6. In an automatic fence machine, the combination with a melting-pot and divided stationary and movable molds, said molds being provided on their meeting faces with registering grooves to'receive the wire, the grooves in each half being arranged at an angle to each other and at different heights, and passages for the metal into the stationary molds, of means for feeding wire thereto at predetermined intervals, consisting of an adjust able earn upon a main shaft, and levers supporting hooks constructed and arranged to engage the picket or cross wires in the fence at the time the molds separate, substantially as described.

7. In an automatic fence machine, the combination with a melting-pot provided with valves, of sectional molds secured thereto and provided with metal-passages, corresponding sectional molds mounted upon a movable bar underneath the melting-pot, the sections of said molds being provided on their meeting faces with registering grooves to receive the wire, the grooves in each half being arranged at an angle to each other, and at different heights, Wire and fence reels in front and rear of the melting-pot, means for feeding the wire from the reels to the molds, for driving and braking the fence reels, for closing the molds, and for operating the valves, substantially as described.

8. In an automatic machine for making wire fences, the combination with a meltingpot, provided with sectional molds under its bottom and passages leading thereto, of valves a set of half-molds, provided with a groove into which the'molds are inserted, in combination with a strip inserted in said groove on which the molds rest, springs adapted to press against the strip, and retaining-clamps for the molds, substantially as set forth.

10. In a fence-machine, a mold-section constructed and arranged to move vertically and provided with V-shaped guides at either extremity and a bar on which said mold-sections are supported in combination with means-for reciprocating mechanism for said bar and feeding wires to the mold-section one at a time, consisting of rods pivoted at one extremity to the extreme edges of the guides, and loosely passing through a rock-shaft at the other extremity; a spring-cover above the wires, and a stationary wedge underneath said wires adapted to be inserted between the outer wire and the others as the mold descends and force the outer wire from under the cover into the guides, substantially as described.

- hi JONATHAN HARRIS.

mark Witnesses:

WM. M. MONROE, GEO. .0. WILLET. 

